In a building, many devices use energy. Frequently, such devices use electrical energy but may also use liquid natural gas, propane, or other energy types. Washing machines, dishwashers, thermostats, and pool pumps, other home appliances, computers, office and business machines, are some examples of energy using devices. There are of course many more. The use of the devices is normally controlled by an individual and the devices are used as needed. Individuals often have no idea of the amount of energy used until they receive their energy bill. Such use is not usually monitored or recorded.
A user does not typically conform, control, or modify his or her energy use to pricing, time of day, consumption level, or other factors. Such a user does not typically have information as to the amount of energy that she has used or is currently using. For example, a user might realize that a dishwasher was operating but might not be aware, give the time of day, or energy pricing at that time of day, what the actual cost of the energy consumed over the selected dishwasher cycle would be then (e.g., 6:00 pm), or as compared, for example, to some other time of day (e.g. 3:00 am). However, a user could conform or modify use of energy if such information was made available to the user, particularly if such information was readily available in an understandable form at the time of use (or when a decision as to use was needed) without significant effort. However, at least some devices would additionally need to be able to communicate with each other, or to some central device or unit, so as to provide energy use information to the user and to allow for control of the energy using devices.
One problem with monitoring and displaying information used by energy using devices is that devices tend to be located at various distances from each other without any communications lines connecting the devices together.
What is needed is a system and method that provides data transmission between such devices that can store information from energy using devices and retrieve information for display to a display device that may be viewed by a user. The energy use information should be available to a user so that the user may control or modify energy use.
The foregoing examples of the related art and limitations related therewith are intended to be illustrative and not exclusive. Other limitations of the related art will become apparent upon a reading of the specification and a study of the drawings.